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With a rich background stretching back decades in time, the various Warhammer games contain a vast array of names (of people, places, items, and so on). Many of these names are original, but some happen to have a meaning in the real world, as obscure terms, foreign words, or cultural references. This page lists some of these underlying etymologies for your edification. Note that some of these are best guesses (speculative fan theory) rather than confirmed derivations.
Where a name is followed by the symbol ¹, if you hover over or click on that symbol you will see when that name was first mentioned in a publication.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aeldari | Trademarkable variation of Eldar. [WH40k Eldar] |
| Archon | "Archon", a ruler. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Archsybarite | "Arch", high + "sybarite", a person devoted to pleasure. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Asdrubael Vect ¹ | Hannibal Lecter, a character from novels including The Silence of the Lambs (1988) by Thomas Harris. Hasdrubal (245-207 BC) was the brother of Carthaginian general Hannibal, so we have: Hannibal Lecter to Hasdrubal Vector to Asdrubael Vect. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar KabaloftheBlackHeart] |
| Autarch | "Autarch", a despotic ruler. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Biel-Tan | Beltane, a Gaelic seasonal festival. See also: Lugganath, Saim-Hann, Yme-Loc. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Cegorach | Scots Gaelic tè, "someone" + gòrach, "foolish". [WH40k Eldar God] |
| Chainsword ¹ | Blend of "chainsaw" (power tool with a moving chain of metal teeth) and "sword" (long-bladed hand weapon). [WH40k Imperial Eldar Weapon] |
| Commorragh | Gomorrah, a city of great wickedness from the Bible. See also: Shaa-Dom. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar City] |
| Crimson Duellist | "Crimson", deep red + "duellist", one who fights one-on-one. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Cronos | Cronus, the leader of the Titans in Greek Mythology. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Drukhari | Blend of Druchii and Aeldari. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Eldar ¹ | "Eldar" is a Quenya term (meaning "star people") for one of the Elvish peoples in the Middle-earth setting created by J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973). [WH40k Eldar] |
| Eldrad Ulthran | Perhaps a blend of Eldar and Alban Arthan, a Druidic seasonal festival. Note also the character Eldrad from the Doctor Who episode The Hand of Fear (1976). [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Ulthwe Farseer] |
| Elixicant | "Elixir", an alchemical liquid. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Falcon | Falcon, a bird of prey. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Vehicle] |
| Farseer | "Far", remote in time or space + "seer", one who divines the future. [WH40k Eldar Farseer] |
| Flayer | "Flayer", one who strips skin from others. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Fuegan | Spanish fuego, "fire". [WH40k Eldar Craftworld PhoenixLord] |
| Haemonculus | Blend of Ancient Greek αἷμα ("blood") and homunculus (an alchemical representation of a human body). [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Harlequin | Harlequin, a character from the commedia dell'arte Italian theatre style. [WH40k Eldar Harlequin] |
| Hellion | "Hellion", an unruly person. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Hemlock Wraithfighter | "Hemlock", a poisonous plant + "wraith", ghost + "fighter", one who engages in combat. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Vehicle] |
| Hesperax | See: Lelith Hesperax. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Illiyanne Natasé | Ilie Năstase (1946-), a world No. 1 tennis player. See also: Illiyan Nastase. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Ulthwe Farseer] |
| Incubus | Incubus, a male demon of sexual assault in European mythology. See also: Succubus. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Isha | Aisha (c. 613-678), a scholar in the early history of Islam. [WHFB Elf WH40k Eldar God] |
| Iybraesil | Hy-Brasil, a mythical island west of Ireland. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Kabal | "Cabal", a secret political faction. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Kabalite | Member of a Kabal. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Khaine | Cain, a character from the Bible who was the first murderer. [WHFB Elf DarkElf AoS Aelf WH40k Eldar God] |
| Kher-Ys | Kêr Ys, a mythical city on the coast of Brittany. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Kruellagh the Vile ¹ | Cruella de Vil, a character from The Hundred and One Dalmatians (1956), a novel by Dodie Smith. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar KabaloftheFlayedSkull] |
| Kurnous | Cernunnos, god of nature in Gallo-Roman mythology. [WHFB Elf WH40k Eldar God] |
| Lelith Hesperax | Lilith, the primordial she-demon and first wife of Adam in Judaic mythology + Hesperus, the Evening Star, a planet in Greek mythology. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Lileath | Lilith, the first woman in Judaic mythology. [WHFB Elf WH40k Eldar God] |
| Lugganath | Lughnasadh, a Gaelic seasonal festival. See also: Biel-Tan, Saim-Hann, Yme-Loc. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Mandrake | Mandrake, a plant root associated with magic rituals. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Mon-keigh | Monkey. See also: Gue'la. [WH40k Eldar] |
| Morai-Heg | The Morrígan, goddess of war in Irish mythology, associated with crows. [WHFB Elf WH40k Eldar God] |
| Natasé | See: Illiyanne Natasé. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Ulthwe Farseer] |
| Reaper | "Reaper", one who reaps. In particular "Grim Reaper" is a name for Death. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar Vehicle] |
| Saim-Hann | Samhain, a Gaelic seasonal festival. See also: Biel-Tan, Lugganath, Yme-Loc. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Scourge | "Scourge", a whip used to cause pain. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Shaa-Dom | Sodom, a city of great wickedness from the Bible. See also: Commorragh. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar City] |
| Skysplinter Assassin | "Sky", atmosphere + "splinter", long and sharp fragment + "assassin", professional killer. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Solitaire | Solitaire, any game played by oneself. [WH40k Eldar Harlequin] |
| Succubus | Succubus, a female demon of sexual assault in European mythology. See also: Incubus. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Talos | Talos, a giant bronze living statue in Greek mythology. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Tantalus | Tantalus, a character in Greek mythology that tested the gods and was punished. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar Vehicle] |
| Ulthran | See: Eldrad Ulthran. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Ulthwe Farseer] |
| Vect | See: Asdrubael Vect. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar KabaloftheBlackHeart] |
| Venom | "Venom", a toxin delivered by bite or sting. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar Vehicle] |
| Visarch | "Vice", deputy + Ancient Greek ἀρχός, "leader". [WH40k Eldar Ynnari] |
| Vyper | Viper, a venomous snake. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Vehicle] |
| Warlock | Warlock, a male practitioner of witchcraft. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Wrack | "Wrack", ruin. Compare with "rack", to cause intense pain. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Wraithfighter | See: Hemlock Wraithfighter. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Vehicle] |
| Wraithknight | "Wraith", ghost + knight. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Vehicle] |
| Wych | Witch, a female practionier of magic. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Yme-Loc | Imbolc, a Gaelic seasonal festival. See also: Biel-Tan, Lugganath, Saim-Hann. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Yncarne | "Incarnate", embodied in physical form. [WH40k Eldar Ynnari God] |
| Yvraine | Igraine, a queen and mother to King Arthur in British mythology. [WH40k Eldar Ynnari] |
| Inspiration | |
| Warhammer Setting | The Dark Tongue; Daemonic Names; Lexicon; Short Stories; Cut-ups; Cool Stuff |
| Art | Golden Demon; Nurglesque Music |
| Speculation | Chaos God Correspondence; Dark Heresy Backgrounds; Sevenfold Path; Sevenrot; Seven Deadly Sins |
| Real World References | Nergal in Mesopotamian History; Symbolism of Three Circles; Symbolism of Seven |
dedicated to the Great Lord of Decay